In 2009 Neill Blomkamp exploded onto the film scene with District 9, a stunning slice of celluloid sci-fi that somehow took the issue of apartheid and turned it into an action-packed summer blockbuster, earning a Best Picture Oscar nomination in the process.

This year he returns with Elysium, an equally intelligent science-fiction flick that replaces the issue of racism with concerns about poverty, immigration and overpopulation, but yet again delivers in terms of spectacle and jaw-dropping entertainment.

The year is 2154, and the world has been divided into two very distinct groups: the poor, who live on the diseased and overcrowded earth, and the wealthy, who have fled to a man-made space station called ‘Elysium’ in order to preserve their privileged way of life.

Via flashbacks we are introduced to Max (Matt Damon), an orphan struggling to comprehend the injustices of the world he has been born into. Max’s ambition is to one day make it onto Elysium, but when we encounter him as an adult in the dilapidated future Los Angeles, he couldn’t be further from fulfilling that dream.

Serving parole and labouring on an assembly line, it’s a grim existence, the people of earth kept in line by nameless, faceless robots who wrap them in reams of red tape. Max’s existence is made all the more terrible when he suffers an accident at work which has devastating consequences on his health, making his need to reach Elysium all the more pressing.

Meanwhile up on the space station Secretary Delacourt (Jodie Foster) – responsible for the defense of Elysium – is finding herself frustrated by a newly liberal administration, and identifying the opportunity for a coup, she makes a grab for power.
Delacourt activates Kruger (Sharlto Copley), a sleeper agent who revels in death and destruction, and who is charged with the task of doing her bidding on earth. Meanwhile Max becomes embroiled in a hair-brained scheme to save his own skin, and through a somewhat convoluted chain of events, the three of them are set on a collision course that could change the course of the future for mankind.

It’s gripping stuff, made all the more chilling by the fact that in spite of the film’s many flights of fancy, the premise is all-too-believable. Indeed Blomkamp seems to be very good at this brand of high-concept sci-fi, the film’s narrative similar to District 9 in that it sets up a credible future-world, takes an ordinary man, places him in extraordinary circumstances, gives him near superhuman powers (alien DNA in D9, a mech-suit here) and follows his efforts to smash the system.

And Matt Damon is the ideal man for that job, being an actor who can take morally ambiguous men and make them instantly sympathetic. Max is a complicated character whose motivations shift throughout the movie, and Damon’s nuanced performance makes him a complex and wholly compelling anti-hero.

Aesthetically Elysium is also similar to District 9, all metallic surfaces and muted colours, although the visuals are much more sophisticated this time around, the technological advancements made in the last four years plastered all over the screen so that Elysium is a constant feast for the eyes, most notably during the film’s spectacular final third.

But the film’s greatest ‘special effect’ is Sharlto Copley, so good as ‘racist-with-a-heart-of-gold’ Wikus in District 9. A mystery man of few words when we first meet his character in Elysium, Kruger gradually starts to dominate proceedings as the film progresses, so much so that you hardly notice the presence of Damon when the two stars share the screen.

And while there’s a degree of scenery-chewing to his work here, it matches the crescendo of the film’s finale, with Copley delivering what may be the performance of the summer.

He’s well supported by the always-reliable Foster as the manipulative Delacourt, and William Fichtner as the equally deceitful businessman John Carlyle.

Ultimately Elysium is Neill Blomkamp’s film however, and yet again he’s hit one out of the park. If we’re going to be critical of the movie, it follows the conventions of the sci-fi action genre a little too closely, so while the visuals are singular and innovative, the story itself smacks of the familiar.

Equally, while the film is full of gravitas and packs a serious emotional punch in the final few scenes, the sobriety is somewhat relentless, and could have been punctuated with the odd joke or light moment beyond Copley’s over-the-top posturing.

But if you are looking for serious science-fiction, bursting with allegory and social commentary, you need look no further than Elysium. Blomkamp’s vision of the future is a grim one, but in using the genre as a prism through which to tackle the many serious issues currently facing the planet, he’s yet again made the smartest blockbuster of the year. What’s more impressive still is that it’s so damn entertaining, and that deadly combination of crowd-pleasing and smarts marks him out as one of the most exciting filmmakers working today.

THE VERDICT

Neill Blomkamp’s sophmore effort proves that District 9 was no fluke, with Elysium the kind of exciting and intelligent entertainment that’s been sorely missing from the summer movie season.

]]>http://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/elysium-review/feed/3Elysium Trailer, TV Spot, Screen Captures & Stillshttp://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/elysium-trailer-tv-spot-screen-captures-stills/
http://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/elysium-trailer-tv-spot-screen-captures-stills/#commentsFri, 14 Jun 2013 01:09:40 +0000http://www.mattdamonfan.net/?p=1446 Elysium > Stills Movies > Elysium > Trailer #1 Screen Captures]]>The full trailer for Elysium has been released. I’ve made caps of it and also added some new stills. Also the first TV Spot is out and you can see it all here

]]>http://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/elysium-trailer-tv-spot-screen-captures-stills/feed/0Entertainment Weekly April 19, 2013 Scanshttp://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/entertainment-weekly-april-19-2013-scans/
http://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/entertainment-weekly-april-19-2013-scans/#commentsSun, 14 Apr 2013 22:54:14 +0000http://www.mattdamonfan.net/?p=1411Scans from April 19th issue of Entertainment Weekly are up in the gallery, there’s a feature on Elysium. Thanks Ali from Drew Barrymore Online for the scans!

]]>http://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/entertainment-weekly-april-19-2013-scans/feed/3Elysium Posters, Stills & First Trailer! + Articleshttp://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/elysium-posters-stills-first-trailer/
http://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/elysium-posters-stills-first-trailer/#commentsThu, 11 Apr 2013 00:07:30 +0000http://www.mattdamonfan.net/?p=1405 Elysium > Stills Movies > Elysium > Posters Plus there’s a 10min video that was sent to the press and there are several articles about it: Matt Damon Fights For The Future In Extended Elysium Footage Sony [...]]]>The first trailer for Elysium is out, and so are posters and stills! Enjoy!

]]>http://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/elysium-posters-stills-first-trailer/feed/0New Elysium Stillhttp://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/new-elysium-still/
http://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/new-elysium-still/#commentsWed, 21 Nov 2012 02:42:19 +0000http://www.mattdamonfan.net/?p=1298A new still from Elysium has been release:

Set to open on March 1st, 2013, here is the synopsis:

In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hard the government ofﬁcial, will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.

]]>http://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/new-elysium-still/feed/0Elysium Synopsishttp://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/elysium-synopsis/
http://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/elysium-synopsis/#commentsFri, 15 Jun 2012 16:28:22 +0000http://www.mattdamonfan.net/?p=1272Finally we have a synopsis of what Elysium is about! Here’s the report from Collider:

Though he spent a few years developing the high profile Halo film that never came to be, director Neill Blomkamp burst onto the film scene in a big way with his stellar 2009 sci-fi pic District 9. Not only did the film include some truly killer effects work, but it was actually about something and tackled social issues like segregation and xenophobia on a sci-fi platform. It’s been three long years since District 9 opened, and fans are eagerly awaiting Blomkamp’s follow-up, the futuristic thriller Elysium. Plot details have been firmly under wraps, but we know that it fits squarely into the sci-fi genre and stars Matt Damon, Jodi Foster, Wagner Moura, Sharlto Copley, William Fichtner and Diego Luna.

A full synopsis for Elysium has been brought to our attention, giving us a much better idea of what to expect. The film is apparently screening for preview audiences tonight and the ticket includes a fairly detailed logline for the pic. As with District 9, it appears that Elysium will also be dealing with grander issues than space guns and aliens. Hit the jump to read the synopsis. Elysium is slated to open on March 1st, 2013.

Here’s the synopsis:

In the year 2159 two classes of people exist: the very wealthy who live on a pristine man-made space station called Elysium, and the rest, who live on an overpopulated, ruined Earth. Secretary Rhodes (Jodie Foster), a hard the government ofﬁcial, will stop at nothing to enforce anti-immigration laws and preserve the luxurious lifestyle of the citizens of Elysium. That doesn’t stop the people of Earth from trying to get in, by any means they can. When unlucky Max (Matt Damon) is backed into a corner, he agrees to take on a daunting mission that if successful will not only save his life, but could bring equality to these polarized worlds.

]]>http://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/elysium-synopsis/feed/0Matt Damon shaves his head for Elysiumhttp://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/matt-damon-shaves-his-head-for-elysium/
http://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/matt-damon-shaves-his-head-for-elysium/#commentsThu, 21 Jul 2011 16:47:33 +0000http://www.mattdamonfan.net/?p=1064Making an exception on post candids that are not from movie sets, this one is from Matt newly shaved head for Elysium. And it just teases my curiosity about the movie. Elysium is set to be released on March 2013. He’s known for his handsome leading man appearance, but Matt Damon unveiled a new look [...]]]>

Making an exception on post candids that are not from movie sets, this one is from Matt newly shaved head for Elysium. And it just teases my curiosity about the movie.

Elysium is set to be released on March 2013.

He’s known for his handsome leading man appearance, but Matt Damon unveiled a new look on a stroll through Vancouver yesterday.

The Bourne Identity star, who usually sports a full head of hair, displayed a freshly shaved head as he made a trip to the local post office in the Canadian city during a break from filming Elysium.

The 40-year-old actor looked casual in a khaki green T-shirt and jeans which he paired with simple black and white trainers while showing off his new bald look.

Matt appeared completely relaxed and at ease during his outing, a luxury he claims isn’t afforded to all celebrities.

‘I have friends who are like prisoners. Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie, for instance,’ he told German television TELE 5 earlier this week.

‘They can’t just go someplace. If they go for a walk, it turns into an international incident.’

However his life has worked out slightly differently, despite his comparable super-stardom.

‘I’m really lucky, because I have the best of both worlds. I do the work that I love and need, but don’t need paramilitary troops to protect me when I walk out my front door.’
And he believes that his focus on things other than work have helped him retain a more private existence.

‘Ever since I found my wife and we had children, my whole life revolves around that. It gave my life a dramatic change in direction,’ he says.

‘I’m not as crazy as most of the other stars. I don’t really know why, probably because I married a woman who isn’t an actress. And we live in New York,’ he said.

‘As long as we don’t show up in typical tourist spots, we can walk the streets without being noticed. New Yorkers are very cool, they don’t flip out if they see me.’

]]>http://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/elysium/matt-damon-shaves-his-head-for-elysium/feed/0Release Date for Neill Blomkamp’s ELYSIUM Moved Up to March 1st, 2013http://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/release-date-for-neill-blomkamps-elysium-moved-up-to-march-1st-2013/
http://www.mattdamonfan.net/movie-news/release-date-for-neill-blomkamps-elysium-moved-up-to-march-1st-2013/#commentsMon, 30 May 2011 19:55:57 +0000http://www.mattdamonfan.net/?p=996

Sony has moved the release date for District 9 director Neill Blomkamp’s Elysium one week to March 1st, 2013, per Box Office Mojo. The film was originally set to open on the 8th, the same day as Disney’s Oz: The Great and Powerful directed by Sam Raimi. This seems like a smart move, as the burgeoning cast of Raimi’s fantasy prequel to The Wizard of Oz will most likely do some serious business. Elysium stars Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, William Fichtner, Wagner Moura, and Sharlto Copley. Details on the plot are very much under wraps, but it’s said to take place in the future on another planet, and will be in the social allegory vein much like District 9. Foster plays the head of the alien planet.

Foster, whose resume of big-screen hits includes Panic Room, Nell and Silence of the Lambs, will join thrill-chaser Damon (The Adjustment Bureau, The Bourne Identity) for filming in B.C., which is scheduled to take place from July 25 to Sept. 27.

According to internet movie database IMDB, the plot of Elysium goes like this: “Aliens come to earth to do battle with man kind so they find peace on earth and live like human beings.”

Foster is said to play the head of the alien planet.

The movie, directed by District 9 director Neill Blomkamp, is scheduled to be released in 2013.

Neill Blomkamp’s ELYSIUM Set 100 Years in Future; BLADE RUNNER Production Designer Syd Mead Joins Film

Elysium, the upcoming film from District 9 director Neill Blomkamp, is continuing to gain heat. After casting Matt Damon, Jodie Foster, and Sharlto Copley, the film is currently being pitched to various studios (with the exception of Disney, which won’t make expensive R-rated movies). Deadline reports that Blomkamp is going from studio to studio with a storyboard presentation. Also, while we knew the story (which is still being kept under wraps) would take place in the distant future and on another plantet, Deadline is reporting that the film takes place 100 years into the future, is “an unabashedly big movie”, and has the same social allegory of District 9.

Hit the jump for more details on Elysium including the hiring of Blade Runner production designer Syd Mead.

Syd Mead, whose credits include not only Blade Runner but also Aliens and TRON, will design the sets for the movie. Mead doesn’t work on a lot of films these days (his only credits in the past decade are Mission to Mars and Mission: Impossible III) , but he was impressed by District 9 and that encouraged him to join Blomkamp’s follow-up.

According to Deadline, the film will begin prep in April and start shooting in Vancouver this July before moving on to shoot in Mexico City in the fall. Elysium is being set up for release in holiday 2012, but the release date decision ultimately falls to whichever studio decides to pick up the project. Considering the talent already on board, I imagine we’ll be announcing a home for Elysium in the very near future.

Sony Pictures has won the bidding war to distribute Neill Blomkamp’s thriller Elysium, with Universal Pictures in talks to co-finance the project.

Neill Blomkamp started setting up meetings with other studios today, but those meetings were canceled after the Sony/Universal scenario came together. We reported last week that Jodie Foster joined the movie alongside Matt Damon and Sharlto Copley.

Little is known about the storyline of Elysium, although it is believed to be set 100 years in the future on another planet. Elysium is slated for release in late 2012, with pre-production set to start in April, and filming slated to begin in July. Filming will take place in Vancouver and Mexico City.

Media Rights Capital, which is producing Elysium, has also signed a deal for another Neill Blomkamp project entitled Chappie. That movie will start production immediately after Elysium finishes. No plot details were revealed for Chappie.

Elysium comes to theaters in 2012 and stars Sharlto Copley, Matt Damon, Jodie Foster. The film is directed by Neill Blomkamp.